


Help

by FullmetalReborn



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Let Shiro Rest 2k18, Letting others help you, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Keith (Voltron), Omega Shiro (Voltron), Omega Verse, learning to love yourself, loving yourself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 13:24:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14356407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullmetalReborn/pseuds/FullmetalReborn
Summary: Shiro learns self-love through Keith.





	Help

If he was being honest with himself, he had known it was coming days before. But he was adamant to ignore it and push it's complications into the back of his mind even if he felt the cramping in his lower abdomen and the shift in his eating habits. He took his pills, knowing they weren't working but prayed they’d perform a miracle.

It was… inconvenient. He had two classes to watch for Montgomery in the next few days and his work was piling up. He had a report due for a trip he took to the Mars base to drop off supplies. He couldn't take the week-long break for it.

Ignoring it also meant he didn't drag out boxes (like he should have) from his closet to find the pamphlet the Garrison gave him when he had moved into the instructor quarters. It was a requirement and standard procedure for all Omegas to receive one (it was also the most awkward conversation he had with the secretary who looked confused at handing one to a 6’1 guy who probably reeked of Alpha). But he refused to acknowledge it, refused to even validate it to himself.

By refusing to acknowledge it, he forced someone else to.

His boyfriend of six months, and best friend for two years, Keith Kogane.

Keith wasn't stupid. He may have issues expressing his emotions, but they had been together long enough for Keith to call him out on his shit. Keith didn't like being fucked over and being ignored made him lash out after years of harboring his own fear of being forgotten.

Shiro knew he had issues taking time for himself and being unable to say no to people. Keith had no issue stepping in when he had to and Shiro would get mad. He didn't like the thought of someone babying him in his work (even if Shiro really was about to collapse from exhaustion). He was stubborn, despite being open and agreeable to people.

Keith caught on quick and taught Shiro that if they were going to be stubborn to each other, Keith would win. Shiro couldn't handle Keith being mad at him and even if he had to initiate the communication aspect of their relationship, Keith’s absolute willingness to talk it out and get them to that point balanced them out.

Keith was there for him, whenever he needed it (he'd stab a guy if he had to, which scared Shiro the first time he said it but now he's almost endeared by it. He's scared of himself for that now), wherever he needed it, Keith had his back.

Which meant when Shiro first started showing the warning signs Keith had been urging him to talk about it.

Which was weird. It was like pulling teeth to get Keith to speak about himself sometimes, so initiating conversations was a first for him.

But Shiro couldn't tell him. Keith didn't understand. He… he couldn't understand.

Keith may have been an Omega, one of the firsts to hit fighter class right behind Shiro, but he had never really struggled to hide his scent or his tendencies.

It was endearing to find Keith huddled up in his clothes or when Keith would rub his neck in order to scent him. But it wasn't something Shiro did.

Shiro didn't nest, he didn't scent (at least not until Keith), and he sure as hell did not have heats.

Shiro was the first born in a traditional family of a Beta and an Alpha. His dad had expected an Alpha, instead he got an Omega.

He grew up, compared and degraded because of something he couldn't control. When his younger brother Ryou was born, it only got worse as his father finally had the Alpha son he wanted.

Ryou was showered with compliments and opportunities. Shiro was taught homemaking and passive aggressive irritations from a tired and worn out mom.

He hated it. Every single second he was shamed for not being what his father wanted.

So Shiro excelled.

He worked hard in school. He learned the curriculum and he took himself to and from study groups to get the points he needed. He applied to the Galaxy Garrison and fought tooth and nail until he was accepted.

He jumped through the ranks; straightened out his back against the onslaught of crude humor towards his secondary gender. He made it to the top, just to spite his father who said he could never do it.

He did it, looking as pristine and proper as any officer and high-class pilot. He was the rumored golden boy (he cringed at the name every time it was uttered but it was satisfying to know his father was annoyed by it) and he was an Omega.

Even if he looked nothing like one.

He spent years upon years hiding his secondary gender. He took suppressants the moment he could and found some soft body sprays that lessened the scent of his pheromones. He didn't feed into a single Omega stereotype and he rose to the top.

Meeting Keith had made him question everything he knew about himself.

The first time they met Shiro had been captivated. Keith was gorgeous, with pale skin and intense purple eyes. He was lean, a little shorter than others his age but quick on his feet. When they were introduced Shiro was a graduating officer and Keith a second year cadet.

Keith beat his simulation records without breaking a swest. Shiro could have gone down the route of jealousy but he was in awe. Keith was an amazing pilot. His flying was like a work of art.

When he learned Keith was an Omega, it changed everything he knew.

Keith had been tough to get to know. He had a chip on his shoulder and a glare that intimidated people. When Keith managed to throw Shiro over his shoulder, he was completely awestruck and helplessly in love.

Keith hid a softer side he shared with Shiro. He enjoyed being swaddled in his scent, had a wicked cuddling side and was as loyal as he was dangerous. Keith had wider hips, a softer face despite being one of the most dangerous personal in the Galaxy Garrison. Where Shiro had ignored the insults, Keith got physical. Keith was the first Omega he had seen that strayed so far from the stereotype (different from the way Shiro had strayed) and yet was completely and utterly content with himself. Keith was comfortable in his skin, in his heats, in his smells, and in his needs.

Shiro had been jealous up until he felt those hips in the palm of his hands and realized what he wanted from him.

Keith was everything he wanted in a partner.

Dating Keith hadn't been a walk in the park either. Omegas dating other omegas was rare and frowned upon. He knew it had to do with ancient times and Omegas being the main nurturers of their villages (he remembered from a history class he was required to take in high school). Alpha’s were supposed to take an Omega but Shiro had never really had an interest in them.  Some Alpha’s were pretty, or attractive but no one really struck him like Keith had.

When Keith first opened the prospect of a relationship (which was violently kissing Shiro in his flat during breakfast) Shiro had almost rejected it. He could feel the judgment of his family. They scrutinized his every move, this just felt like one more opening for them to pick at.

But Keith was solid and blunt. He told it as it was and when it came to what people thought of him, he learned to do what he wanted. (“They’re gonna talk shit anyways, and they’re too much of a coward to say it to our faces!”)

And that had been that. Shiro was still uncomfortable in public but it was getting better. And Keith was understanding; he was truly the best boyfriend Shiro could have ever asked for. By their first-year anniversary, Shiro wanted to take him on a trip to some fancy resort just so they could enjoy their relationship and be completely intimate in public.

His heat threw them both off completely.

Keith had barely started opening up to him about his Omega tendency’s. Keith liked to nest, liked to scent him, and asked for clothes to have during his heats (Keith had never brought up his heats either but he used whatever facilities the Garrison offered him). Shiro was more hesitant in accepting Keith’s courting methods. They weren’t mates just yet. Shiro was wary about scenting Keith, stomach twisting with old judging stares he knew he shouldn’t care about. He didn’t nest. His mother had attempted to show him how once, even if she had been a Beta but she never could teach him what he needed to know (his first heat was a mess of fuzzy memories and fear of not feeling comforted).

Keith had once made a makeshift nest in his bedroom so they could watch movies together as a date. Shiro had been willing to hand over the materials up until Keith peeked over at him and innocently asked, “Anything you feel like adding?”

He was pretty sure it was meant as an intimate question. There was a blush on Keith’s cheeks when he asked. But Shiro had fumbled and could only shrug helplessly. Keith’s dejected expression was very clear to him, even if he attempted to shrug it off. Shiro had missed a cue and still felt irritated about it.

He felt like Keith expected something from him but Shiro spent his life repressing that side of himself it was hard to acknowledge what Keith wanted. And the more intimate they got, the more Shiro realized he had to confront that aspect of himself.

And he wasn’t ready to do that.

He knew his heat was coming no matter how much he wanted to deny it. He knew he should just tell Keith but he didn’t want to. He didn’t want Keith to talk to him about it. It just felt like confronting his problem, when he really, really didn’t want to.

But Keith wasn’t someone to take Shiro’s excuses. Shiro called off dates, buried himself in work and avoided Keith. It probably wasn’t a good idea to ignore someone like Keith. Keith was probably hurt when Shiro stopped to think about it. But the he thought about why he was ignoring Keith which only roped himself back into work to try and forget it.

When Shiro was fairly sure his heat had started Keith had come pounding on his door.

It was like trying to fit aspects of himself into a box and it just wasn’t happening. He was ready to tear himself apart over this when he finally tossed the door open.

Keith was in a jacket, hands clenched into fists at his sides with a glare on his face. His anger faded, for just a second at the look Keith gave him. He hadn’t seen such an intimidating stare since they first met nearly three years ago.

Keith stared, glare melting into confusion and surprise. “Your-You’re in heat?”

He felt his jaw clench. “No.”

Keith stared, wiping the palms of his hands on his jeans before waving them around. “Seriously, Shiro? I can  _ smell _ you.”

“It doesn’t matter. Keith, I, I have work, I need-“

“You don’t need to do shit.” Keith flared again, shoving his way inside to avoid having the discussion in the hallway. “Why are you avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong!” Shiro exclaimed. He felt heated, irritated, and something dark was clawing at his insides. Keith looked distressed and smaller in his jacket. He probably was scared of having this conversation and Shiro’s distance probably made him feel worse. Keith would blame himself before others. It’s one of the reasons Shiro loved him. He was such a gentle guy when people got to know him. But right now, with Shiro being the cause and reason for Keith’s pain, it was the worst thing in the world.

“I’m sorry.” Shiro whispered, seeing the tension leak out of Keith’s shoulders, just an inch. “I just, I really don’t want to talk about this.”

“Shiro, we can’t, we can’t just ignore this. It’s been a week. I honestly thought you were breaking up with me!” Keith laughed, crossing his arms over his chest. It was more of an attempt to keep his feelings in control that Shiro recognized.

He rubbed at his forehead, not sure how to properly explain this to Keith without feeling worse about it himself. He knew deep down it wasn’t fair to not let Keith know after pushing so hard for Keith to be honest with him. When Keith was withdrawing, Shiro made sure to pursue and let Keith know he was there for him. And if it got really bad and they fought, Shiro always managed to get Keith to explain. It wasn’t fair for Shiro to not give Keith the same communication in their relationship.

But now he sort of understood why Keith did it. As good as Shiro was at listening, telling other people his issues was just… a no go for him. Acknowledging them was even worse.

“Okay, look.” Keith tried, albeit a little awkwardly. “You’re in heat let’s start there. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Shito felt his fingers twitch at the question and he avoided Keith’s stare almost immediately.

“Okay. So you don’t want to talk about your heat. Look, I understand if you don’t wanna spend it together, that’s difficult for anyone to decide.” Keith was trying but he wasn’t saying the right things.

“That’s not the problem.” He blurted, raising a hand to run through his bangs. “Keith, I don’t. I just I don’t want to burden you with this. Please, understand.”

Shiro recognized the moment he messed up but he was already feeling fuzzy from the effects of his heat. It made him flushed, and walls he normally had up vanished to give rise to irritation he almost never felt.

“Shiro,” Keith reached for his hands, successfully taking them in his own. “All I care about is you. I will never think of you as a burden.”

Shiro felt his throat close up slightly. Keith was pleading with him, almost desperate. “How can you be so okay with, with an Omega?”

It’s not what he wanted to say but it might have been what he needed to say. Keith blinked in confusion, frowning. “With-Shiro, I am an Omega. Why would I have a problem with it?”

“Why? Keith, I-!” He swallowed, taking his hands out of Keith’s grasp. “Because I have a problem with it.”

“You have a problem with me being and Omega?” Keith can’t disguise the hurt in his voice and Shiro felt his stomach knot up again.

“No! I have a problem with me! I-!” He felt like laughing, anything to get out of admitting it but now that he’s speaking he can’t stop. “I have a problem with being an Omega.”

Keith looked confused, staring and pleading for Shiro to elaborate. When Shiro didn’t, he spoke, “What? Shiro, where is this coming from?”

“Keith, I hate it!” He spread his arms out, feeling emotions clog in his chest. “I was never okay with, with everything that came with being this. Heats, nesting, having to work 10 times harder to get to where I am! I took suppressants for years, I fought so hard to get to be this successful and its not fair that my body has to continue telling me I can’t ever be as good as an Alpha! Or even a Beta!”

Keith fell silent. Shiro can’t read his face.

“I… I didn’t mean for it to get this bad. I can deal with this, I know I can. But my pills stopped working, and ever since I met you, it’s just been so much harder to ignore that part of myself. I didn’t have an Omega parent, or a family that even wanted an Omega.” He stared at Keith, seeing the anguish on his face and can’t stop himself until the words are completely off of his chest. “I love you, Keith. You are… the best thing to ever happen to me. I don’t… I don’t regret you. But… but it’s hard when you remind me about everything I hate about myself.”

Keith flinched.

“When I first met you, I wanted to hate you. You were so comfortable with yourself, and had no issues discussing things I never even thought of. You were so comfortable in your own skin I was jealous. And when I had you, I realized I needed to get better. That I couldn’t have you, when I don’t even know how to accept myself for what I am. It wasn’t fair to you, it wasn’t fair to us.”

Shiro dropped a hand to his chest, palm digging into his sternum. “I didn’t ask to be an Omega. I didn’t ask for any of this.”

Keith looked heart broken and Shiro knew there were tears in his eyes. Shiro already felt the uneasy feeling in his heart spreading, making him light headed and ready to burst into tears alongside Keith.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be what you want from a partner.”

“No.” Keith’s voice wobbled but it gained an edge that had Shiro snapping to attention. Keith marched up and snatched his face between his trembling hands. “You have no reason to be sorry. I didn’t, I didn’t think that this bothered you so much. I just assumed you were quiet about it, that you were okay with yourself, I’ve never met such a confident Omega and have them be-"

He stopped and Shiro knew it was from the face he made.

“No, fuck, Shiro that’s not.” He cut himself off again, as if realizing what he was saying. “What I meant was…  _ I’m _ sorry.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry.” Keith repeated, smushing his cheeks more. “I’m sorry that you had to hold this all in for such a long time. Shiro, I don’t love you because of your dynamic. And if I had known, had even thought to assume you weren’t okay with it, I would have backed off and I would have helped you.”

His thumbs rub gently into his cheeks as a tiny, heartbreaking smile fits in his face. Shiro thinks its probably one of Keith’s best smiles.

“My foster families always had an Omega in it, and I grew up thinking of myself as fierce, in a way no other dynamic could be. They gave me the motivation to succeed, where everyone else thought I would fail. This place is the worst for Omegas. And when I saw you at the top, not even flinching at those insults, I just. I assumed you had made it like me.” Keith stopped, eyes staring directly through Shiro’s soul as he pondered his next few words. “I always thought you were proud of that.”

Shiro leaned in enough to smack their foreheads together. He knows he’s trembling when he comes up to reach for Keith’s hands, holding them close to his face. Keith gives him warmth, giving out a soft whine in his throat that makes Shiro throb. He leaned into the crook of Keith’s neck, already smelling the heavy scent of his body wash with the smell of wood and cinnamon. It’s something that’s completely Keith and as it washes over him he relaxes into Keith’s embrace.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, feeling exhausted.

“No, you have no reason to be sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t make you comfortable enough to tell me this on your own. Shiro, I love you. All I want is for you to be comfortable.” Keith gently ushers him back to lift his face up to look at him. Shiro is yearning for touch and knows something has to show on his face because Keith leans forward to gently kiss at the corner of his lips. “And right now, I want to know exactly what you want from me. And what you feel you want to do. Let me help you. Let me take care of you.”

It’s a tall order, one Shiro isn’t even sure he can take from Keith. It felt strange. He didn’t want to ask for help but Keith is pleading with him, dropping gentle kisses and soft whines that feel warm. He hesitated, but only for a second. “I don’t know. I’ve never had a heat, at least as an adult. I don’t-,”

“Okay.” Keith hushed him with a gentle kiss. It leaves Shiro wanting more. He wanted to kiss Keith, make him soft and pliant under his hands. He wanted to love Keith, for being… for being himself. For being someone stubborn but so damn gentle with him. “How about we make a nest and make you comfortable?”

Shiro didn’t like the thought of making a nest and he’s sure he makes a displeasured sound because Keith is humming something soft to get his attention and snap him out of a heat induced daze.

“Okay, do you not like nests? What’s wrong with nests?” Keith is talking quickly and Shiro is aware it’s probably because he’s falling into heat fast. The throbbing in his chest lowers, fixating between his legs that’s downright annoying.

“Nothing.” He rushed, he remembered the nest Keith had made for them. It had been warm and had smelled like them both. Keith had worked so hard to make it just right for them (even if he had missed whatever Omega cue Keith had given). “I loved your nest. I just, making a nest? I don’t. I just really don’t like it.”

Making a nest felt uncomfortable, as if he was admitting something to himself. The thoughts felt a bit too heavy to drag up, at least for right now. From the look on Keith’s face, it probably wasn’t a good idea to get complicated. He knew Keith would be asking for details afterwards. But for now he only nudged Shiro toward his bedroom.

“I can work with that. Okay. Just let me get some stuff together. Take a shower and leave it to me.” Keith is firm when he sets him on the bed and starts to wander into Shiro’s drawers and closet.

Keith stepped out of the room with the instructions to get comfortable and do whatever he felt is most important. Shiro can’t think of a reason to refuse.

* * *

He ended up taking a shower, spending a long time fighting the haze that was settling in his head.

Keith had taken over his bed. He draped blankets on top of blankets. It’s a multicolored mess and makeshift at best but Shiro appreciated the determined expression on Keith’s face as he fluffs out a few pillows and drapes some of his clothes. Keith had thrown a backpack off to the side. It’s all Shiro needed to see to know Keith had probably ransacked his home for something soft and smelling like him. The scent in the room is also satisfying. The deep rumble that builds in his chest makes Keith stop and smile at him shyly.

“I had to run and grab some stuff to make this right. I also called in the heat to Iverson.” Keith huffed, turning towards another pillow. Shiro panicked at the mention of Iverson but Keith is quick to reassure him. “I said it was mine. That, it uh, it snuck up on me. I said I would be spending it with you, I-It’s a mess. Not gonna lie. We can talk about this afterwards.”

Keith gets into the nest, humming to himself before extending a hand for Shiro to take. It’s an invitation and one he goes into willingly. Keith’s scent washes over him and the smile Keith wears only makes him feel complete.

He has a thought that reminds him that Omega’s should have made their own nests. He felt something uncomfortable settle in his stomach at the reminder that somehow, he could never be the Omega people say he should be.

His thoughts stop when Keith puts a hand on his chest and pushes him onto his back. Keith straddles his waist and puts his palms over his chest. “It’s okay, Shiro. Not all Omega’s are the same. It’s okay if you don’t like certain stuff. Shiro, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. I don’t care if you make nests, have heats, or even scent.”

Keith smiled, cheeks pink in a way Shiro is sure he will admire every time he sees it. He loves it. “And if you aren’t okay with it, that’s fine too. We can figure this out together.”

Keith sealed his promise with a kiss.

Heat sex is a lot different than regular sex. He slips in an out of his daze, probably making an embarrassment of himself from the amount of times he begs for Keith to just do something.

Keith knows exactly how to play with him. He’s a strong presence above him, hands holding him down and teeth nibbling and biting down over his flesh. Keith leaves hickeys, sucking on a scent gland that makes Shiro see stars.

Keith takes his time admiring Shiro, loving and kissing every bit of flesh he could. He lavishes attention on every single piece of him. Shiro had never felt so loved as he did when Keith kissed the palm of his hand, gently scenting the inside of his wrist.

He feels slick dampening the fabric of his sweatpants and the heat against his skin making him desperate for any sort of relief.

Keith spares him, gently nudging his legs apart. He feels the heat of Keith’s finger prodding gently. He felt a hand on the underside of his dick and has to throw his head back just to breathe.

Keith is walking him through it, he realized groggily. His sweatpants are kicked off to the side just as Keith finally pays attention to the part of him he had never explored. His fingers are cold against his heat but they’re gentle, brushing against him and focusing on finding something. The touch makes him twitch, enough for the heat to fade from his mind to focus on Keith a little more.

“It’s okay.” Keith whispered, reaching to kiss at his thigh. “I got you.”

Keith has it for about a second. Keith rubs at his clit, and Shiro choked in an attempt to understand why that felt so good. His toes curl, and his hands bunch up on the covers. He’s babbling something and Keith is kissing and licking him.

When Keith’s fingers lower, searching for his entrance he gets hit with a feeling of dread.

“No!” He blurts finding his voice and making Keith freeze. “Not there, no, don’t.”

Keith’s hand retracted immediately before he’s leaning up to look at him. Keith holds onto his knees, fingers rubbing gentle circles into them. “Hey. Hey, it’s okay. We’re gonna take this one step at a time. I’m not doing anything you don’t want me to, okay? Breathe, Shiro.”

He does, following after Keith’s own breathing before he felt calm enough.

“Are you ready to go?”

The room is silent and Keith doesn’t move. He’s so good to him. Shiro takes a deep breath and then nods. If it’s Keith, he’s ready to give his all.

Keith smirked, kissing his knee and lowering himself once again.

Shiro’s fairly certain he forgets his own name by the end of the night.

* * *

When the heat daze finally left his mind, he’s on his back with Keith spread on his chest. He blinked, chasing away the sleep from his eyes. He’s sore. His thighs feel the worst off and there is a dull ache on his neck. His head is fuzzy and he can feel a headache coming on.

Even worse, his mouth tastes like crap and he is sweating.

Keith is sticking to him and when he shifts to get a look at his lover, Keith has one hand holding up a smart phone and flicking through the internet.

He stopped his searching before shifting to look up at Shiro. “Hey, how you feeling?”

“Wonderful. Like I drank too much and made my parents regret sending me to college.” He focused his attention on the ceiling before Keith stabbed him with his finger.

“Come on, I’m serious.”

“Pretty terrible.” He admitted, not able to hold up under Keith’s relentless poking.

“Better.” Keith grumbled before moving to get off of Shiro. “Your heat wore off early, which gives you a few extra days to recover.”

He hummed, reaching to lower Keith back down on top of him. It’s not comfortable. They’re both covered in drying sweat and fluids he can’t name. But he secured Keith in his arms and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

Keith stabbed him again, making him flinch.

“Ow! Cut it out!”

“Stop it.” Keith pulled himself up enough to stare down at him. “There is nothing to be sorry for. Nothing you say will convince me there’s a reason for you to be sorry.”

He sighed, collapsing on his chest and making Shiro cough. “Shiro, a heat doesn’t make an Omega weak. There’s… there is no reason to be so ashamed about it.” He caught Shiro’s eyes and smiled, gently. “It’s okay to not know what you’re gonna become or what you are. I know it won’t be easy giving up your beliefs and lifestyles. But Shiro, I love you.”

He linked their hands together, bringing up Shiro’s palm and kissing it gently. “And I don’t know what’s gonna happen, to us or to our situation. But I know it won’t change how I feel. I like everything about you, things you probably hate. So, I’ll help you like them too. As long as it takes. As many times as it takes.”

It felt like a punch to the gut and he knows, with absolute clarity that Keith is the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with. He lets out a shuddering breath and Keith smiled, reaching and holding him close.

There is an aftermath to deal with. They need to talk it out more, he knows this. But he knows they’re gonna be alright (Keith reveals he was actually looking up suppressants to help, options are limited but just the thought that Keith was looking out for what he wanted and not what he thought he needed was enough to touch his heart.).

 

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting on my laptop for about four months. Hi guys, here's my take on an Omega Shiro!!! Someone asked me to write this for them (if ya catch my drift) and I finally got around to posting it!  
> Let me know what you think!  
> [Find me on Tumblr!](https://omggiogiothings.tumblr.com/)


End file.
